Posted on Monday, 13th April 2015

Quattro Passi on London’s Dover Street comes from the hands of Two Michelin-starred chef Antonio Mellino who brings his blend of elegant and stylish Italian fine-dining to Mayfair. Antonio Mellino earned his Michelin stars at his flagship restaurant Quattro Passi Nerano where he came into recognition for his light and delicate touch on pasta and fabulous seafood and meat dishes. His menu is seasonal and is prepared using the best produce shipped daily from the Amalfi coast to the UK.

The well-appointed restaurant is luxurious yet comfortable, and is in keeping with the elegance of Chef Mellino’s food. Ambient touches include hand-sculpted leather wall, French silk wallpaper and delightful modern artworks.

We began our meal with skewers of scallops and prawns (£24) which were delicious. Perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned, they were brimming with a fresh sea flavour. Accompanying the skewers were some spring onions and a ‘Romanchesi’ sautéed broccoli ‘couscous’ which were both lovely. There was also a blackberry reduction and other fruity touches of orange and passionfruit that completed the dish nicely with their contrasting sweetness and acidity. This was a lovely starter, although pricey.

Quattro Passi – Scallop & prawn skewer

Artichokes stuffed with lobster and smoked provolo cheese (£18) were delicate, light and wonderfully flavoursome. The filling of cheese and lobster complemented each other well, although I would have preferred the lobster pieces to be chunkier. At the base of the dish was a glorious potato veloute. It was a joy to eat as it was delightfully creamy.

Quattro Passi – Artichokes with lobster

A pasta dish of spaghetti with crab and fresh cherry tomatoes (£18) showed great finesse. The pasta was perfectly al dente with a little bite to it. The crab was sweet, and the cherry tomatoes provided a freshness and warmth to this lovely pasta dish.

Quattro Passi – Spaghetti with crab

A rack of lamb (£32) was perfectly cooked, tender and extremely juicy. The lamb sat on a base of hazelnut, cocoa and dehydrated raspberry crumble. The nuttiness of the hazelnuts, the richness of the cocoa and the sweet acidity of the berries provided an exotic and electric contrast with the lamb. To complete the dish was a warming, rich red wine jus.

Quattro Passi – Rack of lamb

Glazed veal chop (£36) proved to be a tender and tasty cut of meat, although I would have enjoyed it more had it been pinker. Accompaniments included warm peppers stuffed with breadcrumbs, black olives and garlic, and a baked chickpea panisse. The peppers came alive on the palate as if offered an interesting contrast of flavours and textures, and the chickpea was homely and rustic.

Quattro Passi – Glazed veal chop

Our first dessert was a Sorrento lemon paradise cake with raspberry sorbet (£9). The cake was heavenly. The cake was light and lemony and came with a wonderfully delicate texture. Accompanying the cake was a delectable vanilla cream and a zingy raspberry sorbet, both of which worked perfectly with the cake.

Quattro Passi – Lemon paradise cake

A warm orange tart (£9) showed off a sophisticated hand. The pastry base was flaky, light and buttery and incredibly moreish. The filling consisted of a soft and creamy orange filling that was both sweet and citrusy. Served warm, the tart was incredibly satisfying. Alongside the tart was a bitter chocolate ice cream, which on its own was delicious, but which was a touch overpowering against the tart.

Quattro Passi – Warm orange tart

Quattro Passi showcased a wonderful repertoire of refined elegant dishes, with the essence each dish being one of delicacy and beauty in simplicity. The cooking was precise and refined, creating a meal that was very enjoyable to eat. We were also treated to some wonderful service and it was difficult to fault the overall dining experience. It was very good Italian food, with the biggest drawback being the high prices.

Summary Information:
Likes:

1. The cooking was excellent with the lamb dish being a favourite.

Dislikes:
1. Individually the orange tart and chocolate ice cream were excellent, but the combination was a did not work well as the chocolate was very strong.
2. Prices are steep.

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